"We're talking about leaving the club I was in love with at the time because I came through the youth system with my friends, the fans loved me there. They were brilliant - every game they sang my name.

"The person who represented me at the time said, 'You need to hand in a transfer request and get in early because all the lads are going to leave'.

"I remember going in and I was so nervous," the 31 year old explained. "It was [then-West Ham chief executive] Paul Aldridge and I gave him the letter and he said, 'What's this?' And I said, 'It's a transfer request'. He looked at me as if to say, 'Are you kidding?'

"The backlash was crazy. I felt like I was on my own and people were absolutely abusing me.

"To this day I can imagine West Ham fans look at me and think, 'Who does he think he is? How can you do that? You're a Judas'. And it's quite sad really because I can honestly say I still love that club."

Since moving to White Hart Lane, Defoe has become Tottenham's fifth highest ever goalscorer across two spells at the club, while his goal against Sheriff Tiraspol saw him draw level with Martin Chivers as Spurs' highest scoring player in European competition.

Despite leaving West Ham for pastures new, Defoe has seldom been first choice in either the Tottenham or England attack and is currently playing second fiddle to Roberto Soldado since the Spaniard's move from Valencia in the summer transfer window.